Violent Columbus armed robber sentenced to over 21 years in federal prison

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - A Columbus man has been sentenced to over 21 years in federal prison for several robberies in 2021.

According to court documents, 27-year-old Janerio Jones committed seven violent armed robberies with his stepbrother, holding store employees at gunpoint and shooting at people.

US District Judge Clay Land sentenced Jones to 21 years and seven months, followed by three years of supervised release after the defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a violent crime on Dec. 20, 2022.

Court documents revealed Jones and his stepbrother Quentin Anderson robbed seven businesses between Jan. 18, 2021, and Feb. 22, 2021.

Officials say on Jan. 18, the defendants robbed a Little Caesars on Buena Vista Road and a Dollar General on Crystal Drive about an hour and a half from each other. At the pizza establishment, the men took the whole cash register from the store while the employees took over in the back once they realized the robber had a gun.

Four days later, the defendants held up the Forrest Road Package on Forrest Road, where one of the robbers held an employee by gunpoint to the face while the other attempted to rob another employee at the back of the store.

The cash register was also taken.

On the following day, Jan. 23, Jerry’s Food Mart on St. Mary’s Road owner was then robbed at gunpoint by the two individuals. The men stole the owner’s wallet, store merchandise and money.

A few days later, Decatur Street’s Super C Fort Mart owner was also robbed at gunpoint. When the owner refused to give the defendants money, Jones shot a round at the cashier that struck the protective glass barrier.

As the fugitives left the building, Jones fired another shot at the owner, which went through the barrier, barely missing him.

On Feb. 4, the stepbrother and another person robbed the Quality Inn on Macon Road while holding a gun to the property owner’s head and stealing money out of the hotel’s safe. After, the men escaped on foot.

Later on in the month, the men robbed Marco’s Pizza on University Avenue. Police say Jones shot his gun into the air as they entered the restaurant and demanded money.

Eventually, Anderson was apprehended in Stockbridge, Georgia, on April 14, 2021. Jones was taken into custody months later, on Aug. 11, at a motel in Forest Park, Georgia.

“No one should ever be terrorized physically or emotionally like the victims in these violent armed robberies were,” said Rich Bilson, Special Supervisory Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Columbus office. “Thanks to the assistance from our local law enforcement partners, Jones and Anderson will spend a long time behind bars where they won’t be able to wreak havoc on any more innocent civilians.”

“In the span of a few days, the defendants charted a path of violent armed robberies at multiple businesses across Columbus,” said Columbus Police Department Deputy Chief Lance Deaton. “Thanks to the collaborative effort with our state and federal partners, these individuals were arrested before they could terrorize another business and its employees. These sentencings send a clear message that violent crime will not be tolerated in our community.”

The Columbus Police Department and FBI were responsible for the case’s investigation.